Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-12-17
NEWS OF THE RIVER.
THE GOVERNMENT sNAa-BoATs'
WORK.
What They Have Done and Where They
are Nova Lively Batch Of Water
News Caught in the Drift as
It Passed By.

snagboats has Just been completed, and the
fleet of boats In this service have been re-
turDed 10 Nashville for winter quarters, The
Cumberland river and Caney ork improve
ment boats in charge of Col. j. w. Barlow
who Is in command of corps of United
States engineers and whose Office is at Chat
tanooga with branch at Nashville, under
Lieut.. II. Il. Waterman, began operations on
river improvements In May last. Capt. T.. L.
Dews was sent to Caney Fork and Capt. l.. A.
Rhea to the lower Cumberland. Capt. Rhea
left Nashville with VIM. Wandlebaum, as
subordinate oyerseer with a fleet OF boats, and
removed may snags between Nashville and
Line Island. He also repaired several broken
places in the dams at Harpeth Shoals. AT
Line Island they built a dam at the mouth of
the branch at the foot of the island and ex-
tended the long dam down the bar. At Cat.
lin Shoals they extended the dam ut middle
and lower Gatlin.
Capt. p. L. Dews, at the head of Caney
Fork, built two cranes and one quarter boat,
and commenced operation about the first OF
July. His work principally was removing
snags and cul!ing down overhanging trees,
the oyerhanging trees lent over the river, and
wefe dangerous to the upper works of steam
er, especially on short points. They cut 5,l96
trees, removed 50 snags, 1913 stumps, AZ cubic
yards of rock, and 1,50S cubic yard of gravel
from the channel besides which, they built
dam at Jones Shoals, Williamson Branc''
and Trousdale ferry When Capt Dev
rived at the mouth of Caney Fork abol e
middle of September he met Capt. ".
Crawford with snagging party from y,
head OF Cumberland river the party was
| transferred TO Capt. Dews and he with both
fleets have since that time been working on
| the Cumberland between Carthage and this
place. The river during the fall has been in
| excellent condition for the work of improve
pent and considerable good service has been
done. The work now is complete. The prob
ability Is that the next work will be or the
lock and dam at Nashville for which $4,000,
has been appropriated. The obstacle in tie
way Is the right to a site for the lock, and the
| present Congress will no doubt give the prop
| er authorities the right to condemn and par-
| chase the one des lred.
Mr.. Frank T. Harelson whose home is at
Paducah, bat whose business is with the
Onachita river packet company at Monroe,
La. is visiting relatives in this vicinity. Mr..
HARRISON is a very congenial gentleman and
is most heartily welcomed to Clarksville and
the surrounding country.
While the snagging party under Capt. Rhea
we've blasting rock at Gatlin Shoals the other
day, charge of dynamite was covered with
power to make it go off quick. The power
went off and the dynamite stayed at home.
One of the men thinking that all was clear
in the east, went up and began drilling for a
new blast. The dynamite then make a kick
and the man over 1t lost a hand.
Clarksville harbor has been thoroughly
cleaned of all movable distractions by tile
government snag boats in command OF Capt.
Dews.
Chas. M. SouthaIl has returned from sue
cessful business trip down the river.
Capt. Sam Roberts, one of the best known
river men in the South, died suddenly at
Louisville last Monday.
The patent process of dredging by pumping
from the bottom of the river, 1t is said will
empty Reelfaot lake high and dry through
} the Obion river, in two weeks time and with
? the aid of seventeen mile levee from HiclS-
, man to the highlands of Madrid Bend, would
2 reclaim and hold the Ga acres of the lake and
5 and 100000 acres contiguous over flowed lands
|. to permanent and prosperous cultivation
The cost of the levee by engineers figures is
=. estimated at not exceeding $4,000, and the
reach several million dollars.
Buz says Let all those who are so weak
on strong drnk-Dunc Mari and sich--gc
down to the wharf and seq the coming Ragoi
that driest of all wet-enders.
Andrew Baker, an old river man. has mys
terious disappeared from Louisville. All
efforts to find any trace of him have been un
vailing.
!, [Courier-Journall
Q Capt Thomas Ryman came up from Nash.
!, Vile yesterday, and left in the afternoon fol-
4 Evansville to look after some OF his feet lait
up there. Capt. Tom says that the Rhea viii
I remain at Cincinnati until the prospects are
g more encouraging for fair boating water
The ]. H. Hillman arrived yesterday morn
: ing from Cincinnati. She received 200 bar
: rels of cement and 100 balessof bays and lef
( for Clarksvile.
The river fell about two inches Thursda,
night and was declining slowly last evening
n No immediate prospect of water enough fol
( the large boats.
: The Hlllman was due from Cincinnati las
night and will leave this morning fol
Paducah.
The Gracey left Wednesday for lower rive
points with full trip, She is now due and
, is expected to leave at once for up river land
= ings.
5 Since the small boats commenced running
our merchants are having good trade a
river towns the Gracey's trips was almost en-
tirely of merchandise sold by Clarksville mer
chants.
Capt. Dews has laid a portion OF the Gov
ernment snag fleet opposite the wharf and
: returned TO Nashville.
Scott Daniel formerly OF the "City Of Clarks
ville." was in the city this week.
We note each boat in has about ail the to-
baeco. corn and wheat she can handle on tn,
water.